The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-17

Desperate Encounter with Four Mnrderers-The
key Shot dead at the Traps and the Dog Stab
bed-An Incident OF Mississippi Life.


+, bsd-An Incident OF Mississippi Life.
~ went down the Mississippi below
Donaldsonvile on venture OF my
own n number OF years ago." said old
nan Birdsall to New York Sun re-
porter. 81 had n small, snug house
boat and $500 worth OF cargo, and
the idea was to peddle off my stuff to
the isolated people along the banks
in exchange for furs and to spend the
winter there in hunting and trapping.
/ took with me my nephew, a boy
about / s years Old and II couple OF
good dogs, and reached the spot where
was TO tie up for the winter about
the LIST OF November. | had pretty
good luck III exchanging my goods,
and when ] tied up there was only
about ST. worth OF notions left. In
the bend where 1 proposed to winter,
the overflow was at least ten miles
across, and the place selected was all
of three miles from the steamboat
channel. The water over the bottom
lands was about two feet deep on the
level, but here and there were sinks
where it was much deeper, and there
were many islands clear above water.
"There were panthers, wildcats,
coons, foxes. woodchucls, and musk
rats in plenty, and was counting on
big luck when something happened to
the boy. He went out with one OF the
dogs to inspect some traps, and after
couple OF hours the dog come back
alone. He had been stabbed in two
places, and died soon after reach
ing the boat. 1t was just at
night when he returned, and
as could not 60 out III search
before morning you can imagine some
thing OF my anxiety and how slowly
the hours dragged away. was off at
the first peep OF dawn, taking the
other dog along. After walk OF two
miles we came upon the boys dead
body lie had been shot at one OF
the traps, and by some one who had
laid hands on him before the shot
was fired. The bullet had gone through
his heart, and his rifle, knife and other
effects had been taken away. Pinned
TO his clothing was u piece OF paper,
on which was scrawled: III you don't
leave within two days we'll serve you
the same!' 1t was the work Of some
OF the renegades who made that region
their permanent home. | was COM
pletely knocked out for an hour or so,
but then | braced up and vowed
| vengeance. Law could not reach
those men. | buried the body on nm
island and returned to my boat, feel.
ing pretty certain that the men who
lad done for the boy would soon pay
me visit.
81 had a rifle, shotgun, and n ma
Wy revolver, and the boat house win
dows were provided with loop-holed
shutters. Once shut in no one could get
me out unless was driven by flames.
1t was Just before noon next day when
l heard from the expected visitors. |
was keeping very shady, knowing they
would shoot me on sight, when saw
five men polling a skin up the channel.
There were three whites and two blacks,
and il my dog had not given them
warning | should certainly have shot
one OF them before hailing The voice
of the dog drove them to cover on All
island about a p!stol-shot away, and
from there they hailed me and wanted
to know what | was going to do. | de-
fed them, and pretty Soon they opened
fire on the boat. The only alarm |
ielt was that they would seek to board
me. In that case five to one were too
many. After they had fired about
thirty shots, all of which were harm
less to me, got a bead on one OF the
blacks and knocked him over. Their
plan was then abandoned for another.
BY the use OF their boat they could
work all around me- and by and by
they had four men posted at four dif-
ierent points, and the leader called
out that they would remain there all
winter but that they would have my
lie. They were close enough to COM
mand some OF the loop-holes, and each
one kept himself so well sheltered that
did not get shot the whole after
noon.
CAS- night came down | made ready
for different attack. | heated
stove boiler full OF water, 1hced
pals handy, and made n LArri-
cade across the boats cabin with
furniture. The boat lay in such a po-
sition that they could only reach me
by making use OF their skiif, and then
only at the stern. The bow was in
water too deep to wade in and too
full OF roots and canes for a boat to
pass through. l. was near midnight
when the growing OF the dog proved
that some deviltry was afoot. dip.
ped out a pail of boiling water had
the shotgun and revolver handy, and
pretty soon | realized that the quar-
4. 1 IL